Machete Confiscated from a 23-Year-Old Man in DC; Now in Custody
Washington DC: A man with a knife and a machete was taken into custody by US Capitol Police officers on the East Front of the US Capitol.
Around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, December 27, USCP officials arrived on the site. After walking back and forth, the suspect sat down on a ledge on the east side of the US Capitol. The officer decided to speak with the man after observing his peculiar conduct.
Jose Leonardo Marquez, a 23-year-old without a permanent address, has been identified as the suspect.
The officer spoke with Marquez for a short while before noticing a brick in his pocket. The policeman requested that he set the brick aside. The man also took out a knife and set it on the ledge after he obeyed. The policeman took the knife and made a backup call.
The machete handle was then visible to the police beneath the man’s clothes. With his service weapon drawn, the officer gave the suspect the command to raise his hands. Officers were able to safely remove the man’s machete and conduct the arrest once the suspect complied.
Marquez did not appear to be specifically targeting members of Congress. He faces charges of both possessing a restricted weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon.
